Entrance to Kibbutz Massada |
That happened to me back in November 1989 when on a family vacation we came to Bass Lake. As strange as it sounds, the minute my feet hit the earth--at midnight, after a long day's drive from Orange County--I knew this was my place. I'd loved the mountains since I was a child and recognized that, one day, I needed to plant myself where my soul would flourish. We found a house that weekend, made an offer, closed escrow on February 1, 1990, and I moved up here permanently in April.
What does this have to do with Israel, you ask?
My favorite walk in Massada |
The only ones I could seriously have considered, were it possible, are kibbutzim near the Sea of Galilee (called the Kinneret in Israel), Tzfat in the northern Galilee and Ein Kerem, a village surrounded by Jerusalem. This amazes me as much as it does you. They are all smallish, rural even. Cities are not my thing, although I dearly love Jerusalem and my memories of Mexico City. I could make my home in any one of these places, including Kibbutz Massada, where Betty lives.
I never wanted to go to Israel. In fact, I resented Israel for stealing my best friend and holding her captive. I was afraid because her earlier years there took place during the Intifadas, She even sent photos of her bathroom turned into a bomb shelter. It took me over 30 years to develop the courage to visit her, until I realized that if I didn't, I'd likely never see her again, and that wasn't an option.
Honestly, just like Bass Lake, it was love at first sight, and I couldn't have been more shocked.
At last I realized why she'd left her heart there, why she made aliyah. I've left a piece of mine there, as well. At 77 it's not in my future to relocate overseas, but if I did, these are the places I'd consider:
Ein Kerem -
- A lovely little video of the Church of St John the Baptist
- A video about the Ein Kerem neighborhood
- Aerial video of Ein Kerem
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwWTbUzQ1Yc
- A video of the Church of the Visitation
Kinneret -
- Kibbutz Massada - a drone view
Tzfat
- See my post here about this town with a storied past (P. S. Let me know if you can't access this; it was a post in my private Facebook group.)